Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Album vs Single

I was driving home tonight, listening to one of my favorite albums, when I wondered how many people buy whole albums anymore. When using iTunes there's no need. You hear a song. You like it. You buy it. I wonder how many people spring for the whole shebang anymore.

I thoroughly enjoy listening to an entire album. The time and thought it takes to get the order just right... The artist tells a story and with just the right order, it can be amazing or eh... Just like a novelist builds characters and story lines with chapters.

Don't get me wrong. I'll certainly buy the single of a song that really resonates with me or if I like the beat or melody, but I'll frequently go back and buy the whole album. I rarely hit shuffle on my iPod. I want to hear ian album as it was intended. I'm not just talking about concept albums here, though they're great. I'm talking about any album.

I was listening to Arcade Fire's latest, The Suburbs tonight, for the ten thousandth time. I love it through and through. I love every note. I love the progression. I love how it takes me back to living in the burbs in the 80's. I looooooove it.

Got it? Good.

I can't imagine listening to just one song or hitting shuffle. It just wouldn't be the same!

Below I'm listing some of my all time faves. These albums enjoy regular rotation on my iPod.

Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
Adele - 19
Adele - 21
Alison Krauss & Union Station - Lonely Runs Both Ways
Broken Bells - Broken Bells
Depeche Mode - Violator
Florence + The Machine - Lungs
Garbage - Garbage
Paul Simon - Graceland
Keane - Hopes and Fears
Lissie - Catching a Tiger
Marc Broussard - Carencro
Metric - Fantasies
Mumford and Sons - Sigh No More
Neko Case - Blacklisted
Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
Neko Case - Middle Cyclone
R.E.M. - Automatic for the People
Ray LaMontagne - Trouble
Ray LaMontagne - Til the Sun Turns Black
The Secret Sisters - The Secret Sisters
The Shins - Oh, Inverted World
The Sundays - Blind
The Sundays - Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic
Young the Giant - Young the Giamt

Ok there are more, but I got a little out of control as it is. What are your favorites?? Do you feel the same way as me or am I a maniac?

3 comments:

  1. I still buy whole albums most of the time. Sometimes I get disappointed because I only like one or two of the songs, but generally I'm glad I did it.

    Some of the albums that are my favorites right now:
    The Dresden Dolls / The Dresden Dolls
    Ani DiFranco / Little Plastic Castles
    Florence + The Machine / Lungs
    Adele / 21
    2Cellos / 2cellos
    Janice Whaley / The Smiths Project (multi-album set)
    Paul Simon / Graceland

    I think one Christmas we all gave each other a copy of Graceland, didn't we? Dang, that was a good one.

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  2. I get major music ADD, so I am the one who shuffles. That being said, I do tend to buy whole albums if I like an artist. I've found some really awesome songs that way, that I wouldn't have heard otherwise.
    Adele's albums are insanely good!

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